Time controlled switching system



March 7, 1939. I 5 v vo 2,149,424

TIME CONTROLLED SWITCHING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 12, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ROBERT IDE VIVO ATTORNEYS R. DE VIVO TIME CONTROLLED SWITCHING SYSTEM March 7, 1939.

' Fil ed Aug. 12, 1957- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w u 9 V ROBERT DE Vwo ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 7, 1939 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKZE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for automatically establishing and breaking electrical circuits, and more particularly it relates to improvements in time controlled switches adapted for use in connection with radio receivers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of the type hereinabove mentioned wherein means are provided for automatically connecting a radio receiver with a power source at a predetermined time interval beginning at the time selected.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for connecting a radio receiver with a power source at a predetermined time interval commencing from a designated time, whereby the receiver will remain connected to the power source for an interval of time of predetermined duration and thereafter be disconnected from said power source.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away for clearness, illustrating one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views showing certain features of the device illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Fig. 1 the line Iii is connected to the power source and the other end terminates in the plug ll fitted in the receptacle l2 having terminals 13 and M. The lines, generally designated at I 5, are connected across the power line terminals in series with the switch It and provide power for the radio receiver. The switch I6 is a combination lever and toggle switch having a toggle member ll positioned for operation from the front of the radio panel 18 and having a lever member l9 disposed in the back of the switch for operation behind the panel. The synchronous electric clock mechanism 20 is connected in series with the terminals 13 and M of the power source through the switch, generally designated at 22, placed in series therewith. The switch 22 comprises two resilient electrically conductive right-angle bracket members 24 and 25 mounted substantially as shown in Fig. 1 so that when the plate 2t is pushed between them electrical contact is established between the members 24, 26, and 25, thereby completing the circuit from the power source to the electric clock. The plate 26 is substantially fixedly mounted on the end of the slidable rod 2? mounted in the brackets 28 and 29 and is normally held adjacent the bracket 29 by means including the spring 33 mounted between the bracket and the collar 3!. 10 When the plate 26 is disposed between the members 24 and 25 by coaxial movement of the shaft 27, the gear 32 is placed in engagement with the gear element 2 I, which is actuated by the electric clock mechanism, whereby counter-clockwise 15 movement is imparted to the shaft 21 thereby causing the arm 33 fixedly positioned thereupon to move in a counter-clockwise direction and strike the lever I9 thereby actuating the switch mechanism It. 20

Movement of the shaft 21, whereby the gears 32 and 2! are placed in engagement, is effected by turning the knob 34 in a counter-clockwise direction until the pin 35 is in alignment with the slot 36 in the panel is. Then by pushing in- 2 wardly upon the knob 34, the pin 35 passes thru the slot 36 and, when the knob 34 has been turned in a clockwise direction as will be hereinafter described, the pin 35 rests upon the inner surface of the panel it being held in position 30 thereupon by the spring 38 acting against the collar 3|. Under these conditions the electric clock being placed in series with the power line, the shaft 2'! is moved in a counter-clockwise direction thru the gear train 2| and 32 until the 35 arm 33 strikes the lever 19 thereby actuating the toggle switch 16 and turning on the radio receiver by completing the circuit to the power source. The face plate 3? is mounted on the front of the panel 18 and carries a plurality of 40 indicia on the periphery thereof having relationship to the angular movement or" the shaft 2i and operated by the electric clock mechanism 2t so that by setting the pointer 38 at the proper index number on the plate 31, the operator can 45 fix the time interval which will elapse between the completion of the circuit whereby the clock is placed in operation and the time at which the toggle switch it will be operated.

In operation, the knob 34 is turned in a 50 counter-clockwise direction until the pointer 38 indicates that the pin 35 is in alignment with the opening 36, thereupon pressure is exerted upon the knob 34 thereby causing the shaft 21 to move inwardly as hereinabove described. The 55 operator then positions the pointer 38 at an appropriate index number on the periphery of the plate 3i corresponding to the number of hours from the time at which this is done to the time at which it is desired to place the radio receiver in operation. The electric clock then begins to operate causing the arm 33 to move in a counter-clockwise direction until the switch it is actuated as hereinbefore described.

In Figs. 2-5 inclusive, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated wherein means are provided for disconnecting the radio receiver from the power source at a predetermined time interval after the time at which it is connected. In this embodiment of the invention the radio indicated generally at 50, is connected with the power source by a toggle switch, not shown, which is actuated by the lever mounted on the shaft 52. The synchronous electric clock, generally indicated at 53, is connected in series with the power source by means including the upright resilient electrically conductive bracket elements 5 1 and 55 and the plate 55 in a substantially analogous manner to that described in connection with the foregoing embodiment of the present invention. The shaft 5? is slidably mounted in the bearing 59 and carries at one end a gear member 60 fixedly positioned thereon and normally positioned adjacent the face of the block 59, substantiallyas shown. The arm 65 is fixedly positioned on the shaft 5'l in a manner substantially analogous to the arm 33 mounted on the shaft 21 in the embodiment of the invention hereinbefore described.

The sleeve 65 slidably mounted in the bearings 5i and 68 acts as a sheath member about the shaft 57 and carries at one end the gear element 69 and the switch element 56, the latter being mounted on the electrically insulative annular member it. The arm H is fixedly positioned upon the sleeve 56, substantially as shown in Fig. 2. The members 58 and 5! are internally toothed gears mounted respectively upon the shaft 57 and the electric clock driving shaft and engaging respectively with the gears 59 and 60. The cam 72 is adapted to act. against the arm it as it moves in a counter-clockwise direction thereby causing sliding movement of the sleeve member 55 along the shaft 51.

In operation the knob 62, bearing the indicator 62a, and the knob 63, bearing the pointer 53a, are set at zero position relative to the indicia appearing upon the scale mounted on the knob 55 and the indicia on the face plate M respectively. Then the knob 62 is turned to a point corresponding to the time interval between the time at which it is desired to start the switching mechanism and the time at which it is desired to start the operation of the radio receiver. The switching mechanism is started by pushing inwardly on the knob 62 thereby causing the gears t9 and 6! to enter into meshed relationship and thereafter setting the pointer 53a at the index on the face plate 64a corresponding to the sum of the time interval during which the radio is to be in operation and the time interval between the time of commencing the operation of the switching mechanism and the time at which the receiver is to be turned on. For example, if at 1 oclock it is desired that the receiver be turned on at 4 oclock for a program of two hours duration, the indicator 620 is set at 8 and the indicator 63a is set at 5. .The knob 63 is then pushed in thereby establishing the contact between the members 65, 66, and 64 and starting the synchronous clock mechanism, generally designated at 53. The lever arm 65 is thereafter moved in counterclockwise direction by the clock mechanism until it strikes the portion 30 of the lever arm 5| thereby actuating the switching mechanism within the radio and causing it to be connected with the power source. The tip 80 of the lever arm 5! is formed substantially as shown in Fig. 5 and comprises a sliding member held by a spring in the end of the lever 5i so that as the lever 65 passes over the member 85, it is retracted within the lever 5! thereby permitting the arm 65 to continue in its counter-clockwise movement. During the time of movement of the arm 55, the arm H, likewise has been moving in a counter-clockwise direction inasmuch as the gears 58 and 69 were meshed at the time the knob 63 was pushed inwardly. Accordingly, the arm 'il eventually strikes the end of the tip Bl of the lever 5| thereby moving it in a direction opposite to the direction in which it was moved by the arm G5 and causing the radio receiver to be disconnected from the power source. As the arm ll continues in its counter-clockwise direction it strikes against the cam face 12 thereby causing the sleeve 66 to move coaxially in an outward direction in the bearings 61 and 68, thereby disconnecting the synchronous clock mechanism from the power source by moving the plate 55 from its relationship with the brackets 5A and 55.

The device is reset by pulling outwardly on the knob 62 thereby disconnecting the gears 60 and Bi and thereafter repeating the operations as hereinbefore described.

Although in the hereinbefore described embodiment of the present invention the radio receiver has been described as the preferred device to be used in connection with the operation thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other devices can be controlled in the manner substantially as herein described.

t is to be understood that this improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A switching mechanism of the type herein described for connecting a device with a power source at a predetermined future time and disconnecting said device after connection for a predetermined time interval comprising a lever operated switch controlling the supply of power to said device, a freely rotatable shaft, an arm substantially fixedly mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage with and operate the switch aforesaid during rotation of the shaft, a sheathlike member concentric said shaft, an arm substantially fixedly mounted on said sheath-like member and adapted to engage with and operate the switch aforesaid during rotation of said member, means including a constant speed synchronous electric motor associated with said shaft and said sheath-like member'whereby rotative movement at a predetermined speed is imparted to both shaft and sheath, and a dial for indicating the positions of the arms and the rate of movement thereof whereby the future time at which the switch will be actuated by each of the arms can be visually disclosed.

2. A switching mechanism of the type herein described for connecting a device with a power source at a predetermined future time and disconnecting said device after connection for a predetermined time interval comprising a lever operated switch controlling the supply of power to said device, a freely rotatable shaft, an arm substantially fixedly mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage with and operate the switch aforesaid during rotation of the shaft, a sheathlike member concentric said shaft, an arm substantially fixedly mounted on said sheath-like member and adapted to engage with and operate the switch aforesaid during rotation of said member, one of said arms serving to establish connection between the device and the power source and the other of said arms serving to break that connection, means including a constant speed synchronous electric motor associated with said shaft and said sheath-like member whereby rotative movement at a predetermined speed is imparted to both shaft and sheath, and a dial for indicating the positions of the arms and the rate of movement thereof whereby the future time at which the switch will be actuated by each of the arms can be visually disclosed.

3. A switching mechanism of the type herein described for connecting a device with a power source at a predetermined future time and disconnecting said device after connection for a predetermined time interval comprising a lever operated switch controlling the supply of power to said device, a freely rotatable shaft, an arm substantially fixedly mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage with and operate the switch aforesaid during rotation of the shaft, a sheathlike member concentric said shaft, an arm substantially fixedly mounted on said sheath-like member and adapted to engage with and operate the switch aforesaid during rotation of said member, one of said arms serving to establish connection between the device and the power source and the other of said arms serving to break that connection, means including a constant speed synchronous electric motor associated with said shaft and said sheath-like member whereby rotative movement at a predetermined speed is imparted to both shaft and sheath, a dial for indicating the positions of the arms and the rate of movement thereof whereby the future time at which the switch will be actuated by each of the arms can be visually disclosed, and means associated with one of the rotating members whereby the movement is controlled and whereby the connection between the synchronous motor and its power source can be completed and upon occasion, interrupted.

ROBERT DE VIVO. 

